NY State Supports Joint Photon Sciences Institute at BNL

February 7, 2006

A new initiative in photon sciences will capitalize on the unique capabilities of NSLS-II -- which recently won Approval of Mission Need (Critical Decision-0) from the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) -- and also strengthen the Laboratory's case to have NSLS-II sited at Brookhaven.

A partnership between DOE and New York State (NYS), the Joint Photon Sciences Institute (JPSI) will serve as an intellectual center for development and application of the photon sciences and as a gateway for NSLS-II users. It will enhance scientific programs that use the powerful photon beams by cultivating and fostering collaborative, interdisciplinary R&D. Along with the Center for Functional Nanomaterials, currently under construction here, the combination of JPSI and NSLS-II will be a potent economic engine for New York State and the northeastern United States.

New York State Governor George Pataki recently committed to providing $30 million for the JPSI building, which will be located next to NSLS- II and provide office space, meeting areas, and specialized state-of- the-art laboratories. The operating expenses of the institute and its research programs will be covered by external funding from the federal government, including the Department of Energy, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and others. Research will be focused around several multi-year scientifically and technologically relevant research initiatives.

Over the past few decades, the power of photon sources has increased dramatically, and they are now used for a broad spectrum of research in materials science, condensed matter physics, chemistry, biological systems, environmental research, medical imaging, and biomedical research, and are widely used by the microelectronics, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. Modern research in most areas of photon science increasingly requires interdisciplinary work that either spans multiple conventional scientific disciplines or falls at the boundaries between them. JPSI will be an interdisciplinary institute devoted to basic research in areas of the physical sciences, engineering, and the life sciences that are united in employing synchrotron-based methods. JPSI will also develop new methods and applications that exploit the unique capabilities of NSLS-II.

JPSI will have great flexibility in making scientific appointments, encompassing both Brookhaven scientists and faculty from partner universities. Junior and senior fellowship programs and sabbatical programs will draw the best photon scientists from institutions all over the world for interactions with the resident staff and user communities. An important element of the institute's mission will be training new researchers and enabling established researchers to embark on new directions in interdisciplinary research. JPSI will also host interdisciplinary workshops that highlight new opportunities, foster new collaborations, and promote JPSI initiatives in emerging areas of photon science and technology.

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One of ten national laboratories overseen and primarily funded by the Office of Science of the
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Brookhaven National Laboratory conducts research in the physical,
biomedical, and environmental sciences, as well as in energy technologies and national security.
Brookhaven Lab also builds and operates major scientific facilities available to university, industry
and government researchers. Brookhaven is operated and managed for DOE's Office of Science by Brookhaven
Science Associates, a limited-liability company founded by the Research Foundation for the State
University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University, the largest academic user of Laboratory
facilities, and Battelle, a nonprofit applied science and technology organization.